Politically Incorrect Groups Defend Causes

January 10, 1993|By Martin J. Smith, Orange County Register.

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A full-color brochure recently arrived at local news organizations "with the compliments of the Royal Norwegian Consulate General" in Los Angeles, and it argued persuasively for that most politically incorrect of causes-whale hunting.

"The intention is to try to create a balanced view here in the U.S.," said Anfin Ullern, the Norwegian consul general in Los Angeles who began mailing the "Why Whaling?" brochures about two months ago. "Here you have just heard the view of one side and not the other. That's why we're trying to distribute the informational material."

"Why Whaling?" isn't the only ongoing media campaign designed to promote a cause or industry that has been battered by bad publicity. Among the latest volleys in the media battle:

In TV, radio and print ads that made their debut in recent months, the American Plastics Council wants people concerned about the environment to know that plastic makes possible automotive airbags, children's bicycle helmets and other good things.

The Beef Industry Council spent $21 million between May and September to air TV ads designed to convince red-meat fearing shoppers that beef is good for you and easy to prepare. That amount equals what the council usually spends in a year.

Fur America, an umbrella organization for the nation's fur industry, recently circulated a packet of information that not only touted the positive aspects of fur farming, but claimed the animal-rights movement "has concealed its true agenda behind the smokescreen of `animal welfare.' " That goal, Fur America says, is not to make fur farms more humane, but to eliminate them altogether.

Also active in the past year were California egg producers, whose TV and print ads ask consumers to "Give eggs a break" and present eggs as lower in cholesterol than scientists previously thought, and Chevron, which has promoted the oil company's commitment to the environment more aggressively than its products.

The timing may be coincidence, but the varied and very visible campaigns suggest that many industries have drawn the same conclusion after years of organized opposition: The best defense is a good offense.

"Initially, a lot of these (industries) ignored the opposition and hoped it would go away," said Dave Stewart, professor of marketing at the University of Southern California. "But experience has shown that (opposition) campaigns do have an effect. And if they begin to affect people's buying habits, it's hard for industries to ignore."

Stewart said the seemingly sudden emergence of the campaigns may not be coincidental.

"Generally we associate regulation more with Democratic presidents, although clearly George Bush's administration was quite active," he said, referring to the perception that a Bill Clinton-led government will more actively regulate industry because of environmental and other concerns. "I'm certain we will see a lot more regulations coming down the pike."

If true, that means it's important for controversial industries to create what Pomona College pop culture expert Brian Stonehill called "warm and fuzzy" images of themselves. He cited Chevron's reliance on "lots of pictures of wildlife preserves" as an example, as well as nuclear-power industry ads "promoting the negligible impact of their product.

"It's what advertisers call `positioning,"' Stonehill said. "After a season of public discussion of ecologically unsound or politically disreputable activities, a lot of industries are going on the offensive to position themselves out of the doghouse."

Industry insiders say the campaigns are effective.

"Our ads have been working extremely well," said Mary Adolf, vice president of promotion and advertising for the Chicago-based Beef Industry Council, which began the "It's what's for dinner" campaign in May.

"We track consumer attitudes on a monthly basis, and we've seen improvement in every single attitude in terms of beef as a convenience food. Even in health and nutrition issues, we see improvement."